More Rain(in Solid Form)

February 5, 2015

Yes, I’m sore from shoveling, marveling in the beauty of snow, and pondering (still) the matter of storm intensity. How much rain would this latest snowstorm have equaled?

The rule of thumb when determining the liquid equivalent of snowfall is that 10 inches of snow equals one inch of rain, although ambient temperature during a snowfall can shift this ratio one way or the other.

The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the average temperature during February 1st was 25 degrees, which means that one inch of rain was probably equivalent to about 15 inches of snow. According to the Chicago Tribune, snowfall across Cook County ranged from 12.5 inches in Alsip to 20 inches in Rogers Park.

Let’s assume, given the variation in ambient temperature and in snowfall over the County, that the total liquid equivalent for snow from late Jan 31st through early Feb 2nd was probably around 1.29 inches of rain.